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The Little Kitchen

Quick and easy recipes you can make for your family and friends. Published by Julie Tran Deily

five things – 3 year blogiversary edition

Julie Deily 路 49 Comments

Three years ago today, on December 7, 2009, I uploaded my site theme and hit publish on my first post…and it all started from several conversations with my sister and I even reflected upon this earlier this year.

Three years…it's hard for me not to get all sentimental on you. I started The Little Kitchen to just share recipes with family and friends. Never in a million years did I think this would turn into a career for me nor did I ever think that a number of food bloggers would become my best friends. It's been so amazing and fun and inspiring…so I hope you bear with me as I reflect…

1. comments

Bloggers love feedback in the form of comments – I love hearing from people who try the recipes I develop and post. It's really neat to hear all about it and always great to get constructive criticism. I wanted to share with you the best ever pinterest caption I have got when someone pinned one of my recipes but I can't seem to find it so I dug up this comment I received last year on peanut butter cup cupcakes I posted. I chuckled out loud and seeing it again makes me laugh even harder.


To everyone who has left a comment whether it's here, on facebook or twitter or elsewhere, thank you!

2. cake stands vs. wooden boards

I adore cake stands…you can blame Martha Stewart for that. Watching her show when I was still in school (probably middle school), I remember an episode where she showed a bunch of her vintage cake stands. I think that's when it started. Before I started this blog, I had maybe 2 or 3? Now it's up to 17 but wooden cutting and bread boards outnumber them, thanks to my friends, Todd & Diane, I'm completely obsessed. I need to start a self-help group for them. Who wants to join me?

3. cupcakes

If you know me well, you know I make a ton of cupcakes. I was going to try to figure out how many dozen cupcakes I have made in the last three years but I can't even imagine…I'm sure it's way more than 50-80 dozen.

See the picture on the left in the collage? That's the photo from the very first post here on The Little Kitchen and the ones on the right, ones I posted for Buick in October. One of my goals last year was to improve my photography and really push myself. The big thing for me this year was to attend a food photography and styling workshop and it really helped me to take better pictures (and less of them) as well as edit better. I'm not saying I'm some sort of expert now but I'm happy with my progress and I want to continue to grow.

4. it's always about the food and the recipes

I hope you really know how obsessed I am with food and it always comes back to the food for me. When I'm coming up with new ideas, trying a new twist on a classic or brainstorming with my chief taste tester, Curtis…it has to taste amazing. One of the most popular recipes this year has been these cheesesteaks. I love the riffs others have done on them too.

Other huge favorites that get a bunch of views are my Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker recipe and this recipe for Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

5. what's next?

I usually end by making goals for the next year. My ultimate goal would be to have my photography published in a print magazine. And I want to definitely try my hand at those foods/recipes I'm scared to try. I want to continue to challenge and push myself with my photography and to not sweat the small stuff.

So what about you? Do you have any goals or resolutions for 2013? Anything you want to be sure to try or make in your kitchen?

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Julie of The Little Kitchen

Hi, I'm Julie!

Welcome to The Little Kitchen! I'm Julie and I love to cook, bake, eat and share (not necessarily in that order). I share easy recipes, stories about my family (which includes my pets) and my travels. And I actually do have a little kitchen.

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    1. lovefoodies says

      Hi Julie,
      I just came across this post and I have to tell you that you have inspired me! I started my Lovefoodies blog last month, and I too recognise I need to sort out my photography skills (amongst everything else!). I’m still in the very early learning stages of all this tech stuff, but you have made me feel positive that it can be done, and I can share recipes and thoughts with fellow foodies. So thank you very much for sharing this post, and congratulations on your 3 year anniversary. Hopefully in 3 years time Lovefoodies will have photos just as lovely as yours 馃檪
      Mary

      Reply

    11. sally @ sallys baking addiction says

      Hi Julie! I completely adore your blog and today’s post really is something special. CONGRATS on three very very successful year! Look at how much you’ve grown. You sound so determined, so hardworking, and so genuinely happy when you talk about your blog. The photography improvements are amazing – you are a wonderful photographer and you influenced me to start looking up food styling classes. I struggle with that! That comment from a reader made me laugh SO LOUD!!!! I love receiving comments like that. Makes me smile when I read them 馃檪 CONGRATS again!!

      Reply

    14. addie | culicurious says

      My goals are to continue to improve my photos and the quality of my content. I want to develop better recipes and do more collaborations with other bloggers so I can get more experience in the food blog world 馃檪

      Reply

    16. Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says

      Congrats on 3 years! My goals for 2013 are to work on my photography and cross my fingers, come up with a better paleo bread recipe. We shall see. Btw, I love that you show an earlier post. Sometimes it’s hard to look back and see what you did when you started but it’s such an important part of who you are today.

      Reply

    22. Jen M O says

      Congratulations on three years. Oh, your cheese steaks are delicious! Next year, I really want to make some fresh pasta. I make bread from scratch so pasta can’t be too hard, right?

      Reply

    23. Jess @ Feast with Me says

      Congratulations!

      Wow, three years. I have only been at it for 1 year and a hlf, and I have so much more work to do! I’m so impressed (and inspired) by your photo improvements. Not that the first photo is even bad, but the level of professionalism in the photo to the right, and you photos now, makes me feel like I could aspire to that as well. 馃檪 What a lovely post.

      Reply

    24. Karly says

      Happy anniversary!

      You’ve come so far in your photography! Isn’t it exciting to look back and see that progress? Love it!

      And those cheese steaks. Seriously. Why haven’t I made them yet??

      Reply

    26. Shaina says

      Happy anniversary!! My blogiversary was on December 6th!! But I’m only a year old haha. I’ve loved following your blog, you have been one of my inspirations! I’m so glad to have gotten to meet you at FBF in Orlando. I hope we cross paths again soon!

      Reply

    30. Naomi says

      Happy blogaversary, Julie!! I’m so glad we’ve met through blogging and have become such close friends. Love you and your blog. Here’s to an even better 2013

      Reply

    31. Paula says

      Happy Anniversary Julie! Thanks so much for sharing and continued success with The Little Kitchen.

      P.S. Loved the comment from the husband about the icing 馃檪

      Reply

    34. Meagan @ Scarletta Bakes says

      1. Congratulations on three successful (and delicious) years!

      2. I will definitely join that support group with you – my wooden board collection is embarrassing, embarrassing, EMBARRASSING.

      3. I love that you took this opportunity to reflect back on how far you’ve come – such an important thing to do. Keep up the good work, Julie, and congratulations again!! 馃檪

      Reply

    35. Rachel @ Following In My Shoes says

      Happy, happy, happy, happy anniversary, Julie!!!!!!!!

      (drooling over your bread board collection, by the way…. I adore bread boards)

      Your photography is amazing — I’ve definitely noticed a difference over this past year (especially after your mentoring with Diane & Todd); I would LOVE to get better … to take gorgeous, “soft” photos with beautiful light. That’s my goal!

      Reply

    36. Denise @ Creative Kitchen says

      Happy anniversary Julie!! I’m so glad we’ve had a chance to meet through this community of food blogging. It’s such a great and inspiring group to be a part of. 馃槈
      Ahh….wooden cutting boards, I need to add to my collection.

      I was floored when I realized that Creative Kitchen celebrated 3 years this past August. It kinda slipped right past me lol. Merry Christmas & best wishes for a great year meeting new goals.

      Denise

      Reply

    41. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

      Congrats on another year of blogging! And like you, I’m obsessed with wood boards! I mentioned one today and umm, I hit up ebay yesterday. Oh boy. But it will be worth it b/c a great surface for photography is worth it’s weight in…old dirty wood 馃檪 Love the post!

      Reply

    47. Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says

      First of all – happy blogiversary! I can’t believe thelittlekitchen is 3 years old already! I’m in love with your board collection so I’m no help in talking you away from getting more. And seriously you should try pie dough in the food processor… way less scary than doing it by hand! But looking at your list… pasta is on mine too 馃檪

      Reply

    48. Bunkycooks says

      Happy third anniversary, Julie! As you know, I just had mine a few weeks ago. It is hard to believe how far we have come and what we have accomplished in these three years. Congrats and to many more!

      Reply

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